Door check and holdopen



July 2, 1957 s. F. LoRlA nooR CHECK AND HoLnoPEN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1955 Inventor 5a/m1eff/Zz S. F. LORIA DOOR CHECK AND HOLDOPEN July 2, v1957 2 Vshams-sheet 2 Filed April 15, '195s v 2,797,431? Patented July 2, 195,7

HOUR CHECK AND HLDOPEN Samuel. F. Loria, Dearborn, Mich., assigner to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Y This invention relates to a door check and holdopen,

and more particularly to a door check and holdopen for automobile doors. One feature of the invention is that it provides an proved door check and holdopen; another feature of the invention is that it provides a spring counterbalance action to offset the weight lof the door; a further feature of the invention is that it provides improved means to hold the door in a normal open position; an additional feature of the invention is that it provides an improved spring cushioned check for the door when the door is thrown beyond its vnormal open position to its fully open position; still another feature of the invention is that it provides a door check and holdopen device which is mounted on ythe exterior surface of the door and the body, and it is not necessary to form the `door or the body with openings to receive part of the check and holdopen mechanism; yet another feature of the yinvention is that it provides a door check and holdopen comprising a pair of 'pivotally joined toggle llinks which are in extended relation when the door is closed and in folded relation when the door is open; still another feature of the invention is that the links are pivotally joined by means of a pin and slot connection to'provide for bodily movement of one link and for pivotal movement of the other link against the force of a cushioning spring when the door moves to fully open position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which: y

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section through a portion of the door and fender of an automobile with the door closed showing the improved door check and holdopen in top plan View;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, and taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. l, but showing the position of the parts when the door is in its normal open position; and y Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the position of the parts when the door is in its fully open position.

Most modern automobiles are provided with so called tumble-in doors which have the hinge axis inclined so that the door tends to close by gravity. This construction makes it easier to close the door and also permits the door to be opened when the car is parked next to a curb or other obstruction. Since the door is quite heavy, a door check and holdopendevice is provided to partially counterbalance the weight of the door so that the door is easy to open, to hold the door in its normal open position, and toprovide a resilient door check to cushion the door when it is thrown to fully open position. The invention provides a novel and improved door check and holdopen destructed that it is mounted on exterior surfaces of the door and the body.V Because of this construction, it is not necessary to provide openings in the door or body to receive links Ior other parts of the door check and holdopen device, and this greatly simplifies sealing problems on the door and'body.

Referring now more ,particularly to the drawings, 10 is an automobile outer'body panel comprising a part of the bulging portion of a fender which extends rearwardly and merges with the contour of the door. fender panel, and a space 12 is provided between the inner kand outer panels 10 and 11.

The door has an outer panel 14 which merges with the contour of the outer fender panel 10, and an inner panel 16 which extends out to the outer panel 14 at the forward edge of the door to provide a hinge face 18 on the door. The door is hinged to the body by means of two vertically spaced hinges, one of which is shown in the drawings as comprising a hinge strap 20 bolted to a reinforcing bracket 22 `on the body and pivotally connected by means of a hinge pin 24 to a mating hinge strap 26 which is bolted to the door, a reinforcing panel 28 being provided on the inner surface of the inner door panel 16.

The door ycheck and holdopen comprises a iirst toggle link designated generally at 30, which is pivotally mounted on the body, and a second toggle link 32 which is pivotally mounted on the door. A first bracket designated generally at 34 is formed of a body portion 36 secured to the inner body panel 11 by means of bolts 38, and a right angularly extending lflange portion 39 which projects from the body portion 36 of the bracket. A pin 40 is mounted on the bracket flange 39 and projects from both sides of this ange. The pin 4i) is rigidly secured to the flange 39 and is not rotatable with respect thereto, and, as shown best in Fig. 3, the pin is formed at each end with an axially extending slot 42 in each of which is received the inner end of one of a pairof spiral clock-type springs 44 and 45. The outer endof each spring is hooked over an ear 46 which extends from opposite sides of the link 30 and tabs 47 which are bent from the link 30 limit the expansion of the springs 44 and 45. As shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, the link 30 is formed of two duplicate stamped parts 30a and 30b which straddle the flange portion 39 of the bracket 34 and which are pivotally mounted on the pin 40. A rivet 48 secures the parts 30a and 30h together, and at one end of the link a pin 50, which extends between the two spaced stampings, provides a pivotal mounting for the link 32, which is formed with an elongated slot 52 through which the pin S0 extends.

The other end of link 32 is pivotally connected to a second mounting bracket 54 which is secured to the hinge face v18 of the door by means of bolts 56.

Fig. 1 shows the door closed, and with the door in this position, the links 30 and 32 are in extended relation and the springs 44 and 45 have been wound so that energy is stored in the springs and force is exerted thereby through the link 36 to aid in opening the door. In accordance with conventional practice, this force is not suicient to overcome the weight of the door, and preferably when the automobile is level the door has a slight tendency to close.

Fig. 4 shows the position of the parts when the door is open to its normal holdopen position, i. e., the position in which it will be held by the action of the door check and holdopen. In this position the door has been swung around the axis of hinge pin 24, the hinge edge of the door swinging inwardly into the space 12 in the fender. The links 30 and 32 have moved from extended relation to folded relation, and it will be noted that with the parts in this position, the force of the springs is more in line 11 is the inner with the opening movement of the door than it is when the parts are in the position of Fig. 1, so that the spring force is more efective when the door is open` than itis when the door is closed. p i V Each stamped part of link 30 is provided with a projecting lug 53 which engages the surface of the body portion 36 of the body bracket 34 when the door is in its normal holdopen position, preventing further pivotal movement of the link 30 in a clockwise direction as the parts appear in Figs. l, 4 and 5. Link 32 is formed with longitudinally extending ribs 57 and 58 to prevent deformation of the link, and in the central portion of the link between these ribs there is formed a distorted portion 60 which is bent out of theplane of the link to provide a Vstop element which will engage the face of a projection 62 on the flange portion 39 of the body bracket 34.` The purpose of the bent portion 60 is to ensure its engagement with the projection 62 in the event the parts are not quite in alignment. When the door has been opened to the normal holdopen position shown in Fig. 4, the springs hold the door in this position because of the increased effect of the spring force, as pointed out above.

In the event the door is thrown open, it may move to a fully open position, as shown in Fig. 5, beyond the normal holdopen position of Fig. 4. The door check and holdopen device provides a yieldable force to cushion the door when it is thrown to this position, and the door check and holdopen automatically returns the door to the normal holdopen position of Fig. 4. When the inertia of the moving door throws it past the position of Fig. 4 to the fully open position of Fig. 5, link 32 moves bodily, sliding along the face of the projection 62, so that the pin 50 moves to the other end of the slot 52, this action camming link 30 and causing it to pivot in a reverse direction (counterclockwise as the parts appear in Figs. l, 4 and 5) against the force of the springs 44 and 45, which are caused to rewind slightly. When the inertia of the door is exhausted, the unwinding force of the springs will pivot the link 30 again in a clockwise direction until the lug 53 is stopped by the surface of the body portion 36 of the support bracket 34, thispivotal movement causing the pin 50 to slide back to the outer end of slot 52, and the door is then held in the normal holdopen position of Fig. 4. The proportioning of the parts4 may be such as to provide any desired angle of movement between fully open position and holdopen position,prefer ably about six degrees of movement being provided between thcse two positions. In addition to the bodily or sliding movement of the link 32 along the face of the projection 62, said link may pivot about an axis formed by the face ofsaid projection. If desired, theparts may be so proportioned that pivotal movement exceeds or even completely supersedes, sliding movement of thelipk, and the apparatus will operate properly so long as relative movement between link 32 and projection 62 causes reverse pivotal movement of link 30 Aagainst the force of springs 44 and 45.

When the door is manually closed, the springs 44. and 4S are wound, storing energy which opposes the closing force and provides a desiredlcounterbalance effect to the weight of the door and to the tumble-in or gravity force of the door caused by the inclined hinge aXis.

While I have shown and described one embodiment `of my invention, it is capable of many modifications; Changes, therefore, in the construction and `arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: l Y A l. A door check and holdopen of the character described adapted to be mounted between door and body members, including: a pair of pivotally joined toggle links; a first bracket having a'body portion secured to said body member and a flange portion pivotally connected to a first of said links; a second bracket secured to said door member and pivotally connected to the sec- 4 ond link; spring means connected to said first link to urge the door toward open position; and means on each link substantially midway between the ends thereof adapted simultaneously to abut said first bracket to define an open position for said door.

2. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim l, wherein said links are pivotally joined by means of a pin and slot connection, bodily movement of said second link upon filial opening movement of the door beyond said open position camming the first link to partially rewind the spring means and to cause pivotal movement of' said first link against the force of said spring means to cushion the final opening movement of the door.

3. In an automobile having a body and a door hingedly mounted thereon, a door check and holdopen of the character described, including: a pair of pivotally joined toggle links; a first bracket having a body portion secured to the automobile body and a fiange portion pivotally connected to a first of said links; a second bracket secured to said door and pivotally connected to the second link; spring means connected between said first bracket and said first link to urge the door toward open position; and means on each link adapted to abut said first bracket to define a normal hold-open position for said door, said links being joined by a pin and slot connection adjacent one end of said links to provide for bodily movement of said second link and for pivotal movement of said first` link against the force of said spring means when the door moves to fully open position, whereby during the engagement of the links with the stop means the spring is rewound slightly and the door is cushioned as it is thrown open beyond the normal hold-open position.

4. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 3, wherein the flange portion of said first bracket has a projection abutting said second link when the door is in its holdopen position, said second link sliding upon said projection through force exerted on said second link by said second bracket when the door moves to fully open position.

5. In an automobile having a body and a door hingedly mounted thereon, a door check and holdopen of the character described, including: a pair of pivotally joined toggle links; a first bracket having a body portion secured to the automobile body and a iiange portion pivotally connected to a first of said links; a second bracket secured to said door and pivotally connected to the second link; spring means connected between said first bracket and said first link to urge the door toward open position; and means on each link adapted to abut said first bracket to define a normal hold-open position for said door, said links being joined by a pin and slot connection adjacent one end of said links so that movement of said second link relative to said first bracket when the door opens beyond holdopen position causes pivotal movement of said first link against the force of said spring,` whereby during the engagement of the links with the stop means .the spring is rewound slightly and the door is cushioned as it is thrown open beyond the normal hold-open position.

6. A door check and hold-open of the character described adapted to be mounted between door and body members, including: a pair of toggle links pivotally joined by means of a-pinand slot connection adjacent one end of said links; means for pivotally mounting each link on a different one of said members, said links being in extended relation when the door is closed and `in folded relation when the door is open; spiral spring means engaging one of said links to urge the door toward `open position; stop means supported from said body member; and means on each link adapted simultaneously to engage said stop means as the door is urged toward open position by said spring means whereby further opening of the door is limited to define a normal holdopen position for said door, said pin and slot connection causing bodily movement of the other link to cam said one link pivotally against the force of said spring to define a fully open position for said door whereby during the engagement of the links with the stop means the spring is rewound slightly and the door is cushioned as it is thrown open beyond the normal hold-open position.

7. A door check and hold-open of the character described adapted to be mounted between door and body members, including: a pair of pivotally joined toggle links; means for pivotally mounting each link :on a diierent one of said members; spring means engaging one of said links to urge the door toward open position; stop means supported from one of said members, said stop means being spaced from both links when the door is closed; and means on each link adapted simultaneously to engage said stop means as the door is urged toward open position by said spring means whereby further opening of the door is limited to define a normal hold-open position for said door, said links being in extended relation and defining an obtuse angle therebetween when the door is closed and being in folded relation and defining an acute angle therebetween when the door is open.

8. A door check and hold-open of the character described adapted to be mounted between door and body members, including: a pair of pivotally joined toggle links; means for pivotally mounting each link on a different one of said members; spring means engaging only one of said links to urge the door toward open position; stop means supported from said body member; and means on each link adapted simultaneously to engage said stop means as the door is urged toward open position by said spring means whereby further opening of the door is limited to define a normal hold-open position for said door, said links being pivotally connected together by means of a pin and slot connection to provide for bodily movement of one link and for pivotal movement of the other link against the force of said spring means when the door moves to fully open position, whereby during the engagement of the links with the stop means the spring is rewound slightly and the door is cushioned as it is thrown open beyond the normal hold-open position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 410,047 Tobey Aug. 27, 1889 2,320,752 Roethel June 1, 1943 v2,580,593 Putnam Jan. 1, 1952 2,612,651 Roethel Oct. 7, 1952 

